WATSONVILLE, Calif. — D.J. Netto won the 30 lap Taco Bravo 360 sprint car series feature at the Ocean Speedway on Friday night. The Hanford, Calif., native drove the Netto AG/Mission Foods No. 88n to his first track win of the season, beating Kaleb Montgomery and Jake Andreotti.
Netto won his heat race putting him in the dash which he also won, securing the pole for the sprint car main. Netto, however, struggled early in the feature, first letting front row starter Mitchell Faccinto take the lead after the first attempt to start the race was negated by a caution for a Bradley Dillard spin in the first turn before a single lap would be completed.Â
Once out front, Faccinto would hold the lead until he was passed by Justin Sanders on the 13th circuit right after a red flag for a Steven Kent flip on the backstretch. Netto had fallen back to the third spot and on lap 16 had a huge miscue in the first turn, driving over the cushion and off the track. He would however only loose one position, giving second back to Faccinto.
Out front was not the place to be as Sander’s right rear tire was losing air under a lap 17 caution for Adam Kaeding who stopped on the track in the fourth turn. On the restart, both Faccinto and Netto would pass leader Sander’s slowing car and he would bring on the next caution after stopping on the track with a flat right rear. Sanders would skip the hot pit area and drove directly to his hauler, putting him 20th in the final finishing order.
The restart saw an impressive battle between Faccinto and Netto as each driver thru a slide job at the other. The battle may have been too much for Faccinto’s Hoosier tire as his right rear would lose air forcing him to the infield and a 19th finishing position.Â
Once out front by himself, Netto would survive two more caution slowdowns and attacks by both Montgomery and Andreotti would seem to come on strong in the closing laps. Netto, however, wouldn’t be denied and claimed Ed Entz’s checkered flag.
The finish:
D.J. Netto, Kaleb Montgomery, Jake Andreotti, Caeden Steele, Kurt Nelson, Zane Blanchard, Travis Labat, Gauge Garcia, Michael Pombo, Jason Chisum, Nick Ringo, Bryce Eames, Eric Humphries, Colby Johnson, Bradley Dillard, Adam Kaeding, Chris Nelson, Joey Ancona, Mitchell Faccinto, Justin Sanders, Steven Kent, Rickey Sanders